Pvt schools flout nursery norms

In violation of the guidelines for nursery admission for 2015-16 session, some private schools in the city have kept upper age limit making it impossible for children, who could not get admitted last time, to make the cut.

A case in point is of a private school in Shalimar Bagh that has kept three years as upper age limit for admission to pre-school classes, four years for Kindergarten and seven years for class 1.

Some parents said that if this will continue then their children might not get admitted this time either.

“My four-year-old daughter didn’t get admitted last year and this year the schools have kept upper age limit. Where are we suppose to go?” said Letika Ranganathan.

“How can schools flout norms with such impunity. The authorities should do something or else we will be left with no choice but pay exorbitant donations to get a seat,” she added.

To bring the issue to notice, a child rights group has written to the Directorate of Education asking the department to stop schools flouting norms.

“We are getting plenty of complaints. Parents who couldn’t get admission last year are feeling helpless as majority of schools have kept upper age limit of four years,” said Sumit Vohra, founder of admissionsnursery.com

As per the Directorate of Education 2007 order, schools can only fix entry level minimum age limit, Vohra added.

A few schools have decided to come out with the first list of general category students on Wednesday. According to the guidelines for nursery admissions for 1015-16, schools have to declare the general category list with the EWS one, Vohra said.

“As per the DoE orders schools should display selected children under ‘Freeship and General Category’ in a common list in an alphabetical order indicating (G) against General Category,” said Vohra.

Earlier this month, the DoE had asked schools not to go ahead with the admission process since the matter was in Delhi High Court.

According to the guidelines issued by an umbrella organisation of private schools, the general category got only 25 per cent seats.

The committee suggested reserving 25 per cent seats for EWS categories, up to 20 per cent seats for sibling quota, five per cent seats for alumni and staff quota each.
Also, schools can reserve up to 20 per cent seats for management quota.